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College  of  iPfrpstciang  ano  Hmrgeoits 
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J  *  AN 


ON  OPIUM, 

MBRACING  ITS  HISTORY,  CHEMICAL  ANALYSIS, 

AND 

USE  AND  ABUSE  AS  A  MEDICINE, 

8  Wi£<MliWWg!l3) 


TO  THE 

PUBLIC  EXAMINATION  OF  ^H^|^^ST^BS,^ND  PROFESSORS  OF 
THE  COLLEGE  Og^HTOlClAl|^i^®^¥iRGE^fe 


SSttttoenrtts  of  tije 
JOHN  AUGUSTINE  SMITH,  M.  D.  President, 

FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF  DOCTOR  OF  MEDICINE, 
BY  WILLIAM  G.  SMITH. 

"NIHIL  DICTUM  QUOD  NON  DICTUM  PRIUS." 

APRIL  2d,   1832. 


^ 


-  L&/y 


M 


/ 


"  Not  a  tree, 
u  A  plant,  a  leaf,  a  blossom,  but  contains 
"  A  folio  volume. — We  may  read,  and  read, 
"  And  read  again,  and  still  find  something  new, 
"  Something  to  please,  and  something  to  instruct, 
4(  E'en  in  the  humble  weed." 


To 
JOHN  B.  BECK,  M.  D.  &c.  &c. 

PROFESSOR  OF  MATERIA  MEDICA  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY,  &c.  &c. 

TO 

SAMUEL  EMLIN,  Esq. 

MY  BEST  FRIEND,  AND  BENEFACTOR, 

AND  TO 

ANSEL  W.  IVES,  M.  D.  &c.  &c. 

rHROUGH  WHOSE  KINDNESS  AND  INSTRUCTIONS,  I  AM  CONDUCTED 
TO  THIS  CRISIS  OF  MY  PROFESSIONAL  STUDIES, 

THIS  VERY  SMALL  AND  IMPERFECT 

TRIBUTE  OF  GRATITUDE  IS  PRESENTED. 

Mew-  York,  April  25th,  1832. 


AN  INAUGURAL  DISSERTATION 

&c.  &c. 
"  NIHIL  DICTUM  QUOD  NON  DICTUM  PRIUS." 

NATURAL  HISTORY. 

In  tracing  the  origin  of  the  term  Opium,  it  is  disco- 
vered that  it  emanated  from  the  ancient  inhabitants  of 
India,  Egypt,  and  Arabia.  They  called  the  inspissated 
juice  of  the  poppy  capsule,  Affion.  The  Persians  Affiuum. 
By  the  modern  Turk,  it  is  termed  Affioni.  After  the  ar- 
ticle became  known  to  the  Greeks,  they  called  it  Opion, 
from  ottos,  a  word  derived  from  their  language,  signifying 
juice,  adding  sometimes  juexcwog,  the  juice  of  the  poppy, 
or  otcoc  raw  xw^teov,  the  juice  of  the  capsule :  for  onoq  was 
indefinitely  applied  to  the  juice  of  any  plant.  From  the 
great  and  almost  universal  use  of  opium  in  medicine,  wri- 
ters have  applied  to  it  the  epithets  Manus  Dei,  and  Donum 
Dei. 

The  opium  of  the  Pharmacopseias  is  the  juice  of  the  Pa- 
paver,  or  white  poppy,  with  which  the  fields  of  Asia  are, 
in  many  places,  sown,  as  those  of  Europe  and  America  are 
with  corn.  In  the  Linnean  system,  the  genus  Papaver  is 
arranged  in  the  class  Polyandria,  and  order  Monogynia. 
To  this  genus  nine  species  belong,  but  that  from  which  the 
Officinal  Opium  is  generally  obtained  is  the  seventh,  or 
Papaver  Somniferum. 

It  is  an  annual  plant.  In  Europe  it  flowers  in  June  and 
July :  and  in  India  and  Persia,  in  the  month  of  February. 
The  stem  is  gray,  or  sky-coloured,  smooth,  erect,  and 
round;  it  rises  to  the  height  of  from  five,  to  six  feet  in  fa- 
vourable situations. 

The  leaves  are  large,  simple,  and  obtuse,  they  are  lobed 


8 

and  cranated,  embracing  the  stem  on  which  they  are  placed 
in  alternate  succession ;  the  flowers  are  large  and  termi- 
nal ;  the  calyx  is  formed  of  two  concave  leaves,  which  are 
smooth,  ovate,  and  cleft.  These  drop  on  the  expanding 
of  the  petals,  which  are  four  in  number. 

The  petals  are  large,  somewhat  round,  entire,  a  little 
undulated  and  white;  occasionally  of  a  silver  gray  colour, 
and  tinged  with  violet  at  the  base. 

The  filaments  are  numerous  and  slender;  shorter  than 
the  corolla;  they  support  erect  compressed  anthers,  and 
the  germen  which  is  globular  and  smooth,  is  crowned  with 
a  many-rayed  stigma. 

The  capsule  stands  on  a  short  pedicle ;  is  globular  when 
full-grown,  smooth  and  gray,  or  sky-coloured,  like  the 
stem.  It  is  from  two  to  four  inches  in  diameter,  a  little 
flattened  at  the  top  and  bottom,  and  is  crowned  with  the 
persistent  stigma,  the  segments  of  which  stand  erect,  and 
present  an  elegant  appearance. 

The  seeds  of  the  poppy  are  small,  white,  or  gray,  reni- 
form  and  numerous.  When  ripe,  they  escape  through 
small  openings  situated  under  the  points  of  the  stigma. 

All  the  parts  of  the  poppy  contain  a  white,  narcotic, 
milky  juice,  which  abounds  in  the  capsules,  hence  these  are 
the  only  officinal  parts  of  the  poppy.  The  seeds  are  not 
narcotic,  and  have  little  medicinal  quality,  except  that  of 
demulcent.  In  some  parts  of  India  they  are  used  as  an  ar- 
ticle of  food.  Though  the  Papaver  is  indigenous  to  Per- 
sia, Arabia,  and  Egypt,  it  is  found  growing  wild  in  many 
of  the  countries  in  the  southern  parts  of  Europe.  Of  late 
it  has  been  extensively  and  successfully  cultivated  in  Great 
Britain  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  Opium. 

In  the  year  1796,  a  Mr.  Ball  received  a  premium  from 
the  "Society  for  the  Encouragement  of  Arts,"  for  a  spe- 
cimen of  British  Opium,  little  inferior  to  the  Oriental.*  And 
lately  a  Mr.  Young  has  cultivated  it  with  more  success 
than  any  other  person  who  has  attempted  its  culture  in 
Great  Britain. 

This  gentleman  supposed  that  by  sowing  the  poppies  be- 
tween early  potatoes,  the  following  would  be  the  probable 
return ;  and  such  was,  indeed,  the  result  of  his  experiments 
for  one  acre. 

*  Transactions  of  the  Society  of  Arts,  vol,  xiv.  pp.  260  to  270. 


9 

*56  lbs.  of  opium  at  36s.  per  lb £100  16  0 

36  boles  of  early  potatoes  at  24s 43     4  0 

250  lbs.  of  oil,  cold  drawn,  at  Is.  6d 18   15  0 

125  lbs.  of  oil,  warm  drawn,  at  6d 3     2  6 

500  oilcakes,  at  18s.  per  100 4  10  0 

£170     7  6 
Expenses  60     0  0 

Profit    £110     7  6 

The  statement  of  this  experiment  is,  in  my  humble  opi- 
nion, worthy  of  note,  inasmuch  as  it  may  serve  as  an 
inducement  to  the  enterprising  American  farmer,  to  under- 
take, at  some  future  time,  the  cultivation  of  so  valuable 
a  plant. 

It  would  appear  that  although  this  species  is  to  be  pre- 
ferred, as  affording  Opium  in  greater  quantity  than  any  of 
the  rest,  yet  the  other  species  seem  also  to  afford  a  medi- 
cine similar  to  that  obtained  from  the  Papaver  Somniferum. 
Opium  is  prepared  in  several  countries,  and  consumed  in 
large  quantities  over  all  the  warmer  regions  of  Asia,  Egypt, 
Persia,  and  Turkey ;  and  in  all  those  countries  where  the 
•eligion  of  Mahomet  prevails. 

Egypt,  and  particularly  the  country  bordering  Thebes, 
•las  been  long  famous  for  the  quantity  and  excellence  of  its 
Opium,  and  hence  the  epithet  Thebaic  is  still  retained  to 
some  of  its  preparations. 

The  seeds  of  the  poppy  were  the  parts  first  used,  and 
;vere,  with  the  poppy  itself,  consecrated  to  the  goddess 
3eres.  The  Persians  used  the  expressed  oil,  and  Homer 
speaks  of  it  under  the  name  of  fxexajv.  Helen,  it  is  also 
said,  gave  it  to  the  guests  of  Menelaus,  under  the  expres- 
sive name  of  Nepenthe ;  to  drive  away  their  cares,  and  in- 
crease their  hilarity. 


MANNER  OF  CULTIVATING  THE  POPPY. 

The  seeds  of  the  poppy,  according  to  the  best  accounts, 
,re  sown  in  October  or  November,  in  quadrangular  areas. 

*  Edinburgh  Philosophical  Journal,  vol.  i.  pp.  258,  270.— Quarterly  Journal  of  S«ienc 
ol.  iv.  p.  69. 


10 

The  intervals  of  which  are  formed  into  aqueducts,  for  con- 
veying water  to  each  area.  The  plants  are  allowed  to  grow 
from  six  to  eight  inches  apart.  They  are  plentifully  sup- 
plied with  water,  until  they  are  six  or  eight  inches  high, 
when  a  nutrient  mixture  of  dung  ashes  and  nitrous  earth 
is  laid  over  the  areas.  A  little  before  the  flowers  appear, 
they  are  again  well  watered,  until  the  capsules  are  half 
grown,  when  the  watering  is  discontinued,  and  the  Opium 
begins  to  be  collected. 

This  is  effected  in  a  very  simple  manner.  When  the  heads 
are  ripening,  the  cultivator  goes  to  the  field,  armed  with  an 
instrument  which  has  five  edges  as  sharp  as  lancets,*  which 
on  being  struck  into  the  head,  makes  at  once  five  longitudi- 
nal incisions,  and  from  these  wounds  the  Opium  flows. 

This  is  usually  done  at  sunset,  or  in  the  cool  of  the 
evening,  and  the  milky  juice  which  exudes  is  collected  in 
the  morning,  by  a  person  who  goes  round  the  field  with  a 
Tessel  attached  to  his  girdle  for  the  purpose. 

At  the  same  time  that  this  Opium  is  collected,  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  poppy  head  is  wounded  in  the  same 
manner,  and  the  Opium  collected  as  before.  They  distin- 
guish, however,  the  produce  of  the  first  wounds  from  that 
of  the  succeeding  ones.  For  in  the  East,  the  juice  first 
yielded  by  the  plant  is  deemed  greatly  superior  to  what  is 
afterwards  obtained. 

After  the  Opium  is  collected,  it  is  moistened  with  a 
small  quantity  of  water,  or  honey.  It  is  then  worked  a 
long  time  upon  a  flat,  hard,  smooth  board,  with  a  thick 
spatula  made  of  the  same  wood,  till  it  becomes  of  the  con- 
sistence of  pitch.f  It  is  then  worked  up  with  the  hands 
into  moulds,  or  cakes ;  covered  over  with  poppy,  or  to- 
bacco leaves,  and  is  prepared  for  commerce. 


Two  kinds  of  opium  are  found  in  commerce,  distinguished 
by  the  name  of  Turkey  and  East  Indian. 

TURKEY  OPIUM. 

Qualities. — Turkey  Opium   comes   in  flat  pieces,  or  i 
cakes ;  covered  with  leaves,  among  which  are  frequentlv 
small  capsules  of  a  species  of  rumex.     It  has  a  peculiar, 

*  Mr.  Kerr  on  the  cultivation  of  the  Poppy  in  India.  t  Koempfer. 


11 

heavy,  strong  odour,  and  a  bitter,  nauseous  taste,  attended 
with  some  acrimony  when  long  chewed.  Its  colour  when 
good  is  a  reddish  brown,  or  fawn-like.  Its  texture  is  com- 
pact and  uniform  ;  specific  gravity  1.336.  When  mode- 
rately warm,  Opium  is  soft  and  compressible,  but  by  age, 
and.  exposure  to  the  air,  it  becomes  brittle,  and  capable  of 
being  reduced  to  a  yellowish-brown  powder,  which  is 
again  aggregated  by  a  heat  as  low  as  that  of  the  hand. 

Opium  is  inflammable,  takes  fire  easily,  and  burns  with 
a  bright  flame.  It  is  partially  soluble  in  water,  alcohol, 
ether,  and  the  acids.  By  long  boiling  in  water  under  ex- 
posure to  the  air,  its  narcotic  qualities  are  impaired ;  yet 
distillation  does  not  separate  its  active  ingredients.  * 
Spirit  rather  below  proof,  is  its  best  menstruum.  The 
watery  solution  when  filtered  is  transparent,  and  reddens 
the  colour  of  Litmus;  it  undergoes  no  change  on  the  ad- 
dition of  alcohol.  "  When  Opium  is  triturated  with  hot 
water,  five  parts  in  twelve  are  dissolved,  six  suspended, 
and  one  part  remains  perfectly  insoluble,  and  resembles 
gluten." 

Opium  is  precipitated  from  its  solutions  by  the  follow-* 
ng  articles,  viz  : — 

Ammonia,  pure. 

Carbonates  of  the  fixed  Alkalies, 

Sol.  of  Muriate,  and  Nitrate  of  Mercury, 

Nitrate  of  Silver, 

Sub.  Acetate,  and  Acetate  of  Lead, 

The  Sulphates  of  Copper,  Zinc,  and  Iron, 

And  an  Infusion  of  Galls. 


EAST  INDIAN  OPIUM. 

Qualities. — This  species  in  its  medicinal  effects,  is  weaker 
han  that  of  the  Turkey  Opium.  It  comes  from  India, 
n  round  masses,  covered  with  the  petals  of  the  poppy  in 
uccessive  layers  to  the  thickness,  often,  nearly  of  one 
burth  of  an  inch.  It  has  a  strong  empyreumatic  smell, 
>ut  not  much  of  the  peculiar,  narcotic,  heavy  odour  of  the 
rurkey  opium.  Its  taste  is  more  bitter  and  nauseous,  but 
t  has  less  acrimony.     Its  sensible  qualities  resemble  those 

*  Beaume,  however,  asserts  that  the  odorous  part  of  the  Opium  is  an  oil. 


12 

of  Turkey  Opium,  except  that  its  colour  is  blacker ;  its 
texture  less  plastic. 

It  is  more  friable  than  that  of  Turkey,  and  when  tritu- 
rated with  water,  no  insoluble  plastic  residuum  is  left,  but 
it  is  altogether  taken  up.  Eight  parts  in  twelve  being 
dissolved,  and  the  remainder,  suspended  in  the  fluid.  An 
aqueous  solution  of  this  species,  gives  a  deeper  brown  co- 
lour than  the  Turkey.  Like  Turkey  Opium,  it  is  alike 
precipitated  from  its  solutions  by  the  agents  mentioned 
under  that  head. 

Exceptions. — A  solution  of  the  Acetate  of  Barytes  does 
not  alter  the  solutions  of  Turkey  opium,  but  produces  a 
copious  precipitate  with  those  of  the  East  India.  Oxalic 
acid  also  precipitates  both,  but  the  latter  more  copiously. 

Impurities. — The  purest  opium  is  that  which  the  Asia- 
tics call  Opium  in  Tears ;  and  which  is  the  pure  concrete 
juice  of  the  poppy.  But  much  of  the  opium  of  commerce 
is  said  to  be  increased  in  bulk,  by  the  addition  of  an  aque- 
ous extract  of  the  plant,  procured  by  evaporating  a  de- 
coction. The  fibrous  impurities  usually  found  in  opium, 
probably  result  from  a  slovenly  manner  of  its  preparation; 
though  often,  from  a  fraudulent  and  intentional  adultera- 
tion, various  inert  substances  being  mixed  with  it  for  the 
purpose  of  increasing  its  amount. 

Signs  of  Impurity. — Opium  is  to  be  regarded  as  spu- 
rious when  it  is  either  very  soft,  greasy,  light,  or  very  fri- 
able ;  or  is  of  an  intensely  black  colour.  If  it  has  a  weak, 
or  empyreumatic  odour;  a  slightly  bitter,  or  acrid,  or  a 
sweetish  taste,  or  the  quality  of  marking  a  brown,  or  black 
continuous  streak,  when  drawn  across  paper,  it  is  to  be 
suspected  as  not  genuine. 


CHEMICAL  ANALYSIS. 

Many  chemical  analyses  of  opium  have  been  made  by 
different  experimenters.  Among  the  latest  and  most 
splendid  are  those  of  Derosne,  Sertuerner,  and  Robiquet. 
From  the  experiments  of  these  Chemists,  we  find  the  com- 
ponent parts  of  opium  to  be 

Extractive  Matter,  Mucilage, 
Foecula,  Resin,  Fixed  Oil, 


13 

Coauichottc,  a  Vegeto- Animal  Substance, 
And  Gluten,  &c. 

Besides  these,  it  is  found  to  contain  two  proximate  prin- 
ciples, on  which  its  medicinal  properties  chiefly  depend. 
The  one  of  these  is  an  alkaline  body,  termed  Morphia ; 
the  other,  a  substance  which  does  not  appear  to  possess  the 
characters  of  an  alkali,  and  has  received  the  name  of 
Narcotin.  Morphia  exists  in  a  state  of  union  with  a  pecu- 
liar acid,  which  has  been  called  the  Meconic  acid.  This 
acid  appears  to  exist  in  such  a  proportion  as  to  form  a 
Super-Salt,  or  a  Super-Meconate  of  Morphia.* 

Derosne  was  the  first  Chemist  who  obtained  a  crystalline 
substance  from  opium,  which  he  announced*  in  1803,  but 
did  not  describe  its  nature  or  properties.  In  the  following 
year,  Seguin,  discovered  another  crystalline  body  in  opium ; 
he  announced  it,  but  never  hinted  at  its  alkaline  nature. 
About  the  same  time,  that  Derosne  and  Seguin  were  en- 
gaged in  these  researches,  Sertuerner,  at  Eimbeck  in 
Hanover,  had  also  obtained  these  crystalline  bodies;  but  it 
was  not  until  the  year  1817,  that  even  he  first,  unequivo- 
cally proclaimed  the  existence  of  the  new  vegetable  al- 
kali, and  assigned  to  it  the  narcotic  powers,  peculiar  to  the 
operation  of  opium.  He  thus  named  it  Morphia,  and  it 
appears  to  be  the  same  as  the  salt  of  Seguin. 

The  salt  of  Derosne  now  denominated  Narcotine,  is 
quite  a  different  principle,  although  it  was  constantly  mis- 
taken for  one  of  the  Salts  of  Morphia;  until  M.  Robiquet 
pointed  out  its  distinctive  characters. 


MORPHIA,  OR  MORPHINE. 

Various  processes  have  been  recommended  for  obtaining 
Morphia,  by  Sertuerner,  Robiquet,  Choulant,  and  Thomp- 
son ;  but  one  of  the  simplest  is  that  recommended  by  Mr. 
Brand,  as  follows  : — 

"  Powdered  opium  triturated  into  a  paste  with  dilute 
acetic  acid ;  pour  caustic  ammonia  into  the  filtered  solu- 
tion, and  evaporate."  During  the  evaporation,  a  brown- 
ish substance  separates,  which  by  digestion  in  cold  alcohol, 
becomes  nearly  colourless,  and  is  impure  Morphia. 

*  "  Dr.  Paris  thinks  that  the  state  of  combination  in  which  they  exist,  modifies  the 
action  of  Opium." — Pharma. 
t  Annales  de  Chimie.    T.  xiv. 


14 

Qualities. — Pure  Morphia  is  a  crystalline,  transparent 
substance;  insoluble  in  cold,  and  only  sparingly  soluble  in 
boiling  water.  It  is  soluble  in  from  4U  to  45  parts  of  cold, 
but  to  a  greater  extent  in  hot  alcohol,  and  in  eight  parts  of 
ether,  and  in  the  oils.  *  These  solutions  are  intensely  bit- 
ter, and  turn  the  syrup  of  violets  green.  It  has  all  the 
characters  of  an  alkali,  in  combining  with  acids  to  form 
salts  ;  it  decomposes  the  solutions  of  metallic  salts,  precipi- 
tating their  oxides,  owing  to  its  greater  affinity  for  the 
acids  with  which  they  are  combined.  It  fuses  at  a  moder- 
ate heat,  and  acquires  the  aspect  of  melted  sulphur. 
Morphia  does  not  form  soap  with  an  oxidized  oil.  A 
strong  heat  decomposes  it,  and  carbonate  of  ammonia,  oil, 
and  charcoal  result.  Morphia  burns  readily  in  atmospheric 
air.  By  nitric  acid  it  is  turned  red,  which  therefore  affords 
a  test  of  its  presence. 


MECONIC  ACID. 

This  acid,  in  its  native  state,  is  in  combination  with  Mor- 
phia. It  may  be  obtained  from  opium  by  the  action  of 
weak  sulphuric  acid  on  the  magnesian  residuum  left  after 
the  action  of  the  hot  alcohol,  in  the  process  above  described 
for  extracting  Morphia. 

To  this  solution,  if  we  now  add  muriate  of  baryta,  a 
precipitate,  consisting  of  the  sulphate  and  meconate  of  ba- 
ryta, will  be  formed.  Digest  this  with  hot,  and  very 
weak  sulphuric  acid,  then  filter  the  liquor,  and  by  reducing 
sufficiently  the  quantity  by  evaporation,  the  meconic  acid 
will  shoot,  even  before  cooling,  into  coloured  crystals. 
"  These  are  to  be  washed  with  a  little  water,  dried,  and 
sublimed  in  a  flask." 

Qualities. — This  acid  is  very  soluble,  both  in  alcohol 
and  in  water.  The  solutions  are  sour  to  the  taste,  and 
convert  vegetable  blues  to  a  red  colour.  It  combines  with 
alkalies  and  forms  Meconates,  several  of  which  crystallize. 
"  Its  distinguishing  character  is,  that  it  produces  an  in- 
tensely red  colour  in  solutions  of  iron  oxidized  ad  maxi- 
mum." Neither  this  acid,  nor  the  salts  which  it  forms  with 
potassa,  sodae,  or  lime,  have  much  medicinal  action  in  the 
human  system. 

*  Paris's  Chemistry,  p.  425. 


15 


NARCOTIN,  OR  DEROSNE'S  SALT. 

Qualities. — This  also  is  a  proximate  principle  of  opium ; 
usually  obtained  in  white,  silky  needles,  insipid,  and  ino- 
dorous. It  is  neither  acid,  nor  alkaline  ;  it  does  not  form 
salts  with  acids,  which  dissolve  it  simply.  It  is  also  dis- 
solved by  the  oils,  and  ethers  ;  in  water,  on  the  contrary, 
it  is  almost  insoluble,  requiring  100  parts  of  cold  alcohol, 
and  24  of  this  menstruum  when  boiling,  to  dissolve  it. 
According  to  Dr.  Bally's  experiments,  this  substance  has 
little  action  on  the  animal  economy.  Orfila,  on  the  con- 
trary, believes  that  it  exercises  a  stupifying  and  deleterious 
influence,  when  taken  into  the  system  ;  while  Dr.  Magen- 
die  thinks  it  acts  as  a  powerful  excitant. 

Narcotine,  the  subject  of  such  various  and  contradictory 
opinions,  is  not  used  as  a  remedy  ;  it  is  obtained  by  digest- 
ing opium  in  ether. 

Besides  the  Meconic,  opium  would  appear,  also,  to  con- 
tain another  acid,  which  is  not  volatile,  and  which  has  no 
peculiar  effects  upon  the  salts  of  iron  ; — designated  by  Ro- 
binet,  Codeic  Acid. 

Forms  of  Exhibition. — Opium  is  given  in  subtance, 
or  under  the  form  of  tincture.  A  grain  of  solid  opium  is 
an  ordinary  dose,  to  be  varied  according  to  circumstances. 
If  opium,  in  powder,  be  made  into  pills  with  resinous  sub- 
stances, it  will  be  more  gradual  in  its  operation.  If  with 
mucilage,  or  syrup,  it  will  be  more  speedy.  When  a  very 
prompt  effect  is  desired,  laudanum  is  preferable  to  undis- 
solved opium.  An  aqueous  infusion,  made  by  infusing 
powdered  opium  in  boiling  water,  will  often  operate,  with- 
out producing  that  distressing  nausea  and  headache,  which 
so  frequently  follow  the  use  of  this  substance.  But  there 
is  a  difficulty  in  regulating  its  strength ;  hence  an  objection 
to  the  use  of  opium  in  this  form. 

If  the  stomach  readily  rejects  opium,  it  may  be  thrown 
into  the  rectum,  as  an  enema.  In  this  case,  double  the 
quantity  should  be  employed. 

Opiate  injections,  or  suppositories,  are  also  indicated 
when  the  rectum,  or  parts  in  its  vicinity,  are  the  seat  of  the 
complaint,  as  in  dysentery  and  stranguary.  In  the  above 
forms,  it  also  affords  relief  in  spasmodic  affections  of  the 


16 


bowels,  and  in  painful  diseases  of  the  prostate  gland,  or 
bladder. 

In  combination,  the  medical  powers  of  opium  are  greatly 
multiplied,  so  that  there  is  scarcely  a  disease,  in  which 
it  may  not,  during  some  of  its  stages,  be  rendered  useful. 


OFFICINAL  PREPARATIONS  OF  OPIUM. 

Among  the  officinal  preparations,  it  may  not  be  impro- 
per to  mention  a  few  of  the  leading  ones.  For  it  would 
almost  be  an  endless  undertaking  to  enumerate  them  all ; 
opium  being  "  the  quack's  sheet  anchor." 

Opium  purificatum.  Pilulae  Opii. 
Piluhe  saponis  cum  Opio. 
Pulvis  cornu  usti  cum  Opio. 
Tinctura  Opii.     Confectio  Opii. 
Tinctura  Camphorse  Composita. 
Pulvis  Ipecacuanha?  Compositus. 

But  of  all  the  preparations  of  opium,  none  are  more 
universally  or  commonly  used,  than  the  simple  laudanum, 
the  black  drop,  or  acetate  of  opium ;  the  Dover's  Powder, 
and  Paregoric  Elixir. 

Neither  Morphia,  nor  any  of  its  salts,  have  yet  come  into 
very  general  use  in  the  practice  of  physicians,  at  least,  on 
this  side  the  Atlantic.  This  may  be  partly  owing  to  the 
high  price  which  it  continues  to  command,  and  partly,  to 
an  adherence  to  the  old  established  maxim,  never  to  aban- 
don an  article  whose  virtues  are  known,  and  universally 
acknowledged,  for  one  not  yet  proved,  and  but  just  intro- 
duced. 

When  Morphia  is  used,  it  is  in  form  of  the  sulphate,  ci- 
trate, and  the  acetate,  and  what  is  usually  called  the  Ano- 
dyne Drops.  These  may  be  given  either  in  solution,  or  in 
syrup.  One  of  the  more  common  forms  is,  the  solution  of 
the  acetate  of  Morphine.  Besides  these  forms,  the  ace- 
tate and  sulphate  may  be  given  in  form  of  pills  ;  in  electu- 
ary ;  in  draughts,  or  in  mixture.  The  dose  being  from 
one  fourth  of  a  grain  to  a  grain  in  twenty-four  hours. 

Incompatibles. — Bi-chloride  of  Mercury,  Acetate  of 
Lead,  the  Alkalies,  most  of  the  Metallic  Oxides,  Infusion 
of  Galls,  Nitrate  of  Silver,  and  yellow  Cinchona. 


When  our  object  is  to  obtain    the  sedative  efjfecl    of 
opium,  it  should  not  be  combined  with  stimulants. 

Antidotes. — To  persons  poisoned  by  a  large  quantity 
of  opium,  a  powerful  emetic  of  sulphate  of  zinc,  or  the 
sulphate  of  copper,  should  immediately  be  given,  propor- 
tioning the  amount  to  the  emergency  of  the  case,  and  re- 
peated at  short  intervals  till  vomiting  is  produced.  The 
vegetable  acids,  viz.  vinegar  and  lemon  juice,  should  be 
administered  after  the  stomach  had  been  thoroughly 
emptied  by  the  ordinary  means,  otherwise,  such  a  practice 
would  accelerate  the  solution  and  activity  of  the  opium. 
Strong  coffee  and  tea  may  be  freely  administered ;  also, 
cordial  stimulants,  which  are  not  of  the  narcotic  kind,  as 
ammonia,  musk,  and  the  aromatics.  The  patient  should 
be  kept  erect,  and  moved  frequently,  and  the  surface  of  the 
body  excited  by  friction,  rubefacients,  or  blisters.  Jf  the 
patient  be  comatose,  venesection  is  proper. 


MEDICINAL  EFFECTS. 

By  whom  opium  was  first  introduced,  and  particularly 
retained  as  an  article  of  the  materia  medica,  nothing 
certain  is  known ;  but  that  it  was  from  the  earliest 
times,  valued  as  a  remedial  agent  of  no  small  power,  is  al- 
lowed by  all.  As  a  medicinal  agent,  it  has  been  traced  to 
the  time  of  Diagoras,  who  was  cotemporary,  or  nearly  so 
with  Hippocrates;  but  though  it  was  thus  early  pre- 
scribed in  the  treatment  of  disease,  its  medicinal  qualities 
and  intrinsic  worth,  as  an  article  of  the  materia  medica,  were 
imperfectly  understood,  and  destined  to  be  realized,  and 
properly  appreciated,  only  by  the  physician  of  modern  times. 

In  works  on  Pharmacy,  opium  is  ranked  under  the  head 
)f  Narcotics,  from  vccquoo),  I  stupify.  It  is  also  called 
4.nodyne,  from  a  priv.  and  ddvvrj,  to  allay  pain.  And  Se- 
dative, from  another  word,  vtzvoco,  I  put  to  sleep. 

This  medicine  has  given  rise  to  much  controversy,  re- 
specting its  modus  operandi.  Dr.  Cullen  contended  that 
t  was  always  sedative,  and  that  the  resistance  of  the  vis 
ritce,  occasioned  it  to  act  as  a  stimulant  whenever  it  did 
so  ;  while  Brown  and  his  followers,  supported  that  its 
effects  on  the  living  svstem  were  alwavs  that  of  a  sti- 


18 

umlaut.  The  fact  appears  to  be,  that  it  acts  primarily 
by  stimulating  the  nervous  system,  while  its  secondary  ef- 
fect is  a  diminution  of  nervous  energy,  producing  torpor, 
insensibility  and  sleep.  Administered  in  a  moderate  dose 
to  a  man  in  health,  it  produces  within  a  short  time,  gene- 
rally from  five  to  twenty  minutes,  a  marked  effect  oo  the 
brain  and  nervous  system.  There  is  an  increase  of  the 
animal  spirits,  or  a  tranquil  confidence  and  serenity  of 
mind ;  which  is  afterwards  followed  by  a  tendency  to 
sleep.  It  diminishes  the  sensibility  of  the  animal  system  ; 
and  the  body  becomes  less  susceptible  of  annoyance, 
pain,  or  disturbance  from  external  causes ;  in  mode- 
rate doses,  it  lessens  irritability  in  the  various  organs 
and  textures,  so  that  their  functions  are  manifestly  re- 
tarded. 

Primarily  it  operates  as  a  powerful  and  very  diffusible 
stimulus ;  but  this  primary  operation  is  followed  by  narcotic 
and  sedative  effects,  in  a  degree  much  greater  than  could 
be  expected  from  the  previous  excitement  it  induces.  It 
is  not  known  to  produce  any  change  in  the  composition  of 
the  blood,  but  increases  the  aqueous  exhalations  from  the 
lungs.  *  In  moderate  doses,  it  increases  the  fulness,  the 
force,  and  the  frequency  of  the  pulse  ;  augments  the 
heat  of  the  body ;  quickens  respiration,  and  invigorates 
both  the  corporeal  and  mental  functions.  But,  by  degrees, 
these  effects  are  succeeded  by  languor,  lassitude,  and  sleep ; 
and,  in  many  instances,  headache,  sickness,  thirst,  tremors, 
and  other  symptoms  of  debility  such  as  usually  follow  the 
excessive  use  of  ardent  spirits,  supervene.  It  acts  on  the 
different  tissues,  by  lessening  their  natural  secretions  and 
excretions,  excepting  the  secretion  from  the  skin,  which  it 
promotes.  "  Its  operation  is  often  attended  with  an  itch- 
ing, or  sense  of  pricking  of  the  skin,  which  is  sometimes 
terminated  by  a  species  of  miliary  eruption."  All  the 
chylopoetic  viscera  are  rendered  slower  in  the  perform- 
ance of  their  functions ;  f  the  appetite  is  less  keen,  ami 
digestion  slower ;  the  peristaltic  motion  is  lessened ;  the 
urine  is  diminished ;  and  the  mucous  of  the  throat  and 
fauces  rendered  thick  and  more  sparing.  It  relaxes  mus- 
cular action,  and  in  very  large  doses,  the  primary  excite- 

*  Buidach.  Arzneymittellehre,  b.  iii.  s.  491. 

t  The  foeces  of  persons,  says  Dr,  Paris,  after  the  use  of  opium,  is  often  clay-coloured 


19 

ment  is  scarcely  apparent ;  the  pulse  seems  to  be  at  once 
diminished ;  drowsiness  and  stupor  immediately  come  on  ; 
and  are  followed  by  delirium,  sighing,  deep,  and  stertorous 
breathing,  cold  sweats,   convulsions,  and  death. 

When  opium  is  introduced  into  the  cavity  of  the  perito- 
neum, it  speedily  produces  convulsions  and  death.  Ac- 
cording to  Orfila,  "  the  effects  of  opium  are,  in  general, 
more  decided  when  it  is  injected  in  glysters,  than  when  it 
has  been  introduced  into  the  stomach."  This,  Dr.  Eberle 
supposes  to  be  owing  to  its  not  having  been  primarily 
subjected  to  the  action  of  the  digestive  power.  It  acts, 
according  to  Nysten  and  Orfila,  more  energetically  when 
injected  into  the  cellular  texture  of  the  body.*  The 
same  writer  states  also,  that  this  article  does  not  de- 
stroy the  contractility  of  the  muscles  to  which  it  is  ap- 
plied, and  that  a  heart  will  continue  to  contract  for 
a  considerable  time  when  plunged  into  a  solution  of 
opium.  But  Wilson  Philip  contradicts  this,  and  states 
that  although  he  found  opium,  when  applied  to  the  exter- 
nal surface  of  the  heart  and  alimentary  canal,  to  produce 
no  sensible  effect  on  their  muscular  power ;  yet,  when 
brought  in  contact  with  their  internal  surface,  it  produces 
'"  the  same  effect,  as  when  directly  applied  to  the  muscular 
fibres  themselves,  immediately,  unless  the  quantity  be  ex- 
tremely small,  impairing  their  power,  and  destroying  it 
instantly,  if  the  quantity  be  considerable." 

Dr.  Chapman  asserts  that  "  the  practice  of  applying 
opium  as  an  embrocation  is  altogether  delusive,  and  de- 
serves no  attention."  But  this  opinion  appears  to  be  un- 
founded ;  for  the  same  gentleman  allows  that  the  use 
of  it  as  a  "  local  remedy  to  assuage  pain,  may  be  effica- 
cious." Wow  if  he  at  all  allows,  that,  as  a  local  remedy, 
it  may  allay  pain,  he  allows  in  fact  that  it  does  so  through 
the  medium  of  the  skin  ;  end  by  acceding  this  point, 
which  he  does,  in  fact,  he  admits  at  once,  that  this  re- 
medy so  applied,  is  efficacious  by  acting  on  the  sentient 
extremities  of  the  part  to  which  such  "  local  remedy,"  or 
"  embrocations"  are  applied.  And  if  it  does  this  on  one 
part,  there  is  no  just  reason  to  believe  it  incapable  of  do- 
ing so  when  applied  to  any  other  part  of  the  surface. 

In  combination  with  vegetable  acids,  the  narcotic  quail 

18  Qrfila'g1  System  of  Toxicology,  p  250r 


20 

ties  of  opium  are  increased  in  consequence  of  the  forma- 
tion of  soluble  salts. 


PRACTICAL  REMARKS  ON  THE  USE  OF 

OPIUM. 

Opium  is  employed  in  the  treatment  of  numerous  dis- 
eases :  but  my  subject  being  already  too  much  length- 
ened, I  must  defer  mentioning  many  in  which  it  is  usually 
prescribed. 

A  few  remarks  on  the  judicious  use  of  this  article  in  the 
treatment  of  diseases  generally,  may  suffice  on  this  head. 

There  is  scarcely  a  disease  in  which  opium  may  not, 
during  some  of  its  stages,  be  brought  to  bear,  by  the  judi- 
cious physician,  with  advantage :  it  has  been  used  with 
the  happiest  effects  in  the  phlegmasial  diseases,  after  free 
venesection.  By  the  late  Dr.  Post,  it  was  a  practice  ;  and 
iri  such  cases,  the  dose  is  recommended  to  be  particularly 
heroic.  The  experienced  Armstrong,  and  some  others, 
also  speak  of  its  use  in  inflammations. 

But  as  a  general  rule,  inflammations  of  passages  bear 
opium  better  than  those  of  circumscribed  cavities,  and 
those  of  mucous  membranes  better  than  those  of  serous, 
or  cellular  textures ;  inflammations  of  the  latter  kind  be- 
come susceptible  of  benefit  from  opium,  only  in  their 
secondary  stages,  and  after  depletion  has  been  carried 
to  an  extent  which  renders  it  no  longer  admissible. 

In  the  early  stages  of  simple  fevers,  opium  almost  al- 
ways does  harm  ;  it  can  rarely  be  given  with  prudence  in 
any  case  of  strong  arterial  excitement,  and  its  use  is  equally 
improper  when  there  exists  a  determination  to  the  head  ; 
yet,  after  full  venesection,  there  is  not  the  smallest  danger 
in  its  administration,  especially  if  combined  with  ca- 
lomel.* 

All  persons  are  not  equally  susceptible  of  the  influence 
of  opium  ;  nor  the  same  persons  in  all  situations. 

The  robust  bear  more  than  the  weak  and  delicate,  and 
persons  long  addioted  to  its  use,  more  than  the  unaccus- 

*  Med.  CMrurg.  vol.  iii.  p.  223.-^Scott  on  Cystitis. 


21 


tomed,  and  all  its  effects  are  modified  by  the  actual  con- 
dition of  the  system  at  the  time  opium  is  exhibited. 


ABUSE,  etc. 

Opium  should  never  be  exhibited  simply  to  rouse  the 
spirits,  to  awaken  the  fancy,  or  to  give  a  temporary  ex- 
ertion to  brilliant  wit,  this  practice  is  most  deleterious. 
Neither  should  it  ever  be  used,  except  to  obviate  some 
symptoms  of  disease,  or  for  such  other  purposes  as  judg- 
ment sanctions.  Opium  should  never  be  used  as  a  subsfi- 
tute  for  the  ordinary  stimulus  either  of  wine  or  spirits : 
for  when  it  is  thus  used,  it  seldom  fails  to  lay  the  founda- 
tion for  a  long  train  of  morbid  symptoms,  which,  sooner  or 
later,  terminate  in  all  the  wretchedness,  which  disease  is 
capable  of  inflicting ;  yet  this  drug  is  in  every  day's  use, 
and  particularly  among  the  better  circles  of  society,  and 
by  the  softer  sex. 

Fearful  of  names,  rather  than  of  consequences,  opium 
is  continually  resorted  to  by  many  of  both  sexes,  but 
particularly  by  females,  and  these  of  the  higher  circles, 
as  a  substitute  for  the  stimulus  ordinarily  afforded  by  gin 
or  brandy.  And  hence  the  emaciation,  and  most  of  the 
long  train  of  dyspeptic  symptoms,  and  gastric  derange- 
ments so  commonly  met  with  in  persons  in  this  class  of  so- 
ciety. But  there  is  another  class  who  resort  to  opium,  in 
some  one  or  other  of  its  forms,  either  from  indolence,  or 
carelessness,  or  both  ;  I  mean  mothers,  nurses,  and  those  to 
whom  are  intrusted  the  charge  of  infants.  The  youthful, 
inconsiderate  mother  and  the  idle  nurse,  too  frequently 
resort  to  opium,  to  hush  the  infant's  cries,  which  might 
have  been  done,  by  the  ordinary  and  only  best  means  of 
nursing. 

The  gay  and  youthful  mother,  rather  than  forego  the 
pleasures  of  a  crowded  assembly,  or  the  gaudy  charms  of 
a  dramatic  scene,  a  single  evening,  not  unfrequently  com- 
mits the  unfortunate  infant  to  its  cradle  under  the  influ- 
ence of  opium,  in  the  form,  either  of  Dalby's  Carminative, 
the  Paregoric  Elixir,  or  Godfrey's  Cordial,  and  even  lau- 
danum itself. 


Many  instances  of  this  nature  could  be  adduced;  one, 
however,  may  suffice  on  this  occasion. 


CASK. 

Eliza,  aged  one  year  and  ten  mouths,  born  at  the  full 
time,  of  healthful  parents,  herself  healthful,  and  at  birth 
weighed  ten  and  a  half  pounds.  Mother  young  and  fond 
of  social  amusements,  with  means  to  obtain  them.  When 
about  three  months  old,  Eliza  became  cross,  and  somewhat 
troublesome,  particularly  at  night.  Paregoric  was  given 
in  order  to  induce  sleep ;  continued  with  increased  doses. 
After  some  time,  this  ceased  to.  have  its  desired  effect. 
Laudanum  was  now  given  in  place  of  the  Paregoric,  com- 
mencing at  first  with  gtt.  iii.  in  Annisi.  infusion,  or 
tansy — increased  gradually  to  gtt.  x.  and  so  on  ;  and  now, 
at  the  age  above  stated,  from  50  to  60  gtt.  have  been 
taken  regularly  every  night  for  upwards  of  eleven  months. 

On  February  5th,  of  the  present  year,  I  went  with  a 
medical  friend,  whose  advice  was  required  in  Eliza's  case, 
she  being  much  afflicted  with  diarrheae.  Her  countenance 
bore  marks  of  premature  age — expression  that  ef  a  child 
three  or  four  years  old ;  head  disproportionally  large  ; 
abdomen  prominent  and  tumified  ;  extremities  dispropor- 
tionally small,  and  like  her  face,  pale.  Integuments  much 
wasted,  flaccid,  soft,  or  somewhat  doughy,  resembling  in 
some  degree  bleached  tallow  or  wax,  which  had  been  ex- 
posed to  the  air.  She  does  not  walk  ;  general  debility ; 
eye  sunken,  small,  heavy,  and  having  but  little  or  no  ex- 
pression— integument  of  the  lids  somewhat  corrugated, 
from  a  loss  of  support  formerly  afforded  by  the  balls  of  the 
eye,  which  have  receded  preternaturally.  Appetite  vari- 
able, and  at  no  time  good.  Pulse  small,  soft,  and  rather 
slow  ;  soldom  sleeps,  except  under  the  influence  of  her 
usual  dose  ;  troubled  with  periodical  diarrhsea,  the  food 
always  passing  away  indigested,  and  in  lumps,  until  the 
time  arrives  for  the  repetition  of  her  usual  dose,  Eliza  re- 
mains in  a  semi-torpid,  listless  state  ;  peevish,  and  having 
a  desire  more  for  fluids,  than  solid  food. 

Now  that  this  periodical  diarrhaea  has  been  induced 
end  kept  up  by  the  long  and  injudicious  use  of  opium,  ad- 


nuts  of  no  doubt.  Its  long-  use,  and  in  such  quantities, 
having  so  far  impaired  the  muscular  vigour  of  the  coats 
of  the  stomach,  and  of  the  alimentary  canal,  together  with 
the  functions  of  the  absorbents,  most  of  the  phenomena 
above  described,  are  to  be  imputed. 

But  the  injudicious  use  of  opium  is  not  confined  alone 
to  mothers  and  nurses,  many  practitioners  of  medicine  are 
also  culpable.  Like  calomel  and  jalap,  which,  because  it  is 
allowed  to  be  useful  in  almost  all  cases,  it  is  often  for- 
gotten that  there  are,  nevertheless,  many  cases  in  which 
opium,  like  that  prescription,  is  not  admissible. 

In  hope,  however,  that  as  the  science  of  chemistry  ad- 
vances, it  will  continue  to  unfold  even  more  minutely  than 
it  has  already  done,  the  hidden  principle  of  activity,  alike 
of  many  other  agents  of  the  Materia  Medica,  as  of  opium, 
we  trust  that  error,  like  the  dew,  will  vanish  under  the 
shining  influence  of  improvement  in  the  profession. 


THE  END. 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 

This  bqok  is  due  on  the  date  indicated  below,  or  at  the 
expiration  of  a  definite  period  after  the  date  of  borrowing, 
as  provided  by  the  rules  of  the  Library  or  by  special  ar- 
rangement with  the  Librarian  in  charge. 

DATE  BORROWED 

DATE  DUE 

DATE  BORROWED 

DATE  DUE 

C2816381M50 

u> 

RIE 

M-RM666 

'ERSITY  LIBRA 

848208 

Smith 

DLUMBIA  UNI\ 

0050 

Sm6 


